


What the Future Holds

by Tavyn



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: Captain Canary Week 2018, F/M, Family, Fix-It, Future Kid Fic, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-07
Updated: 2019-06-07
Packaged: 2019-06-23 04:56:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15598749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tavyn/pseuds/Tavyn
Summary: Nora Allen isn't the only future hero running around Central City.(Written for Captain Canary Week - Day 6 - Family)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this story idea for almost two years, so I'm glad CC Week 2018 gave me the excuse to finally start it! As usual, this supposed-to-be-a-one-shot got away from me, so I've broken it into parts. I really hope you enjoy this silly future-kid-fic fun as much as I do!

In a quiet neighborhood in Central City, a quiet party with quite the unexpected guest was about to turn deadly silent.

"I'm your daughter Nora, from the future, and I think I made a big, big mistake."

Deadly silent.

Until a phone buzzed.

The girl, Nora from the future, pulled her phone from her pocket, frowning at whatever she saw on the screen.

"And I need to tell you about that mistake, but there's something else first."

Barry, still smiling vacantly and nodding dumbly, glanced at Iris, then around at the others, as if hoping he'd misheard.

He hadn't.

"Did you know the Legends are in town?" Nora asked, when no one else spoke. She sighed into the silence, glancing again at her phone. "Something's going down at Jitters."

* * *

Something certainly was going down at Jitters.

"Something" had started harmlessly enough, just a few days off from the Waverider, a stop in Central City and then a visit to Star City. "Something" started with a trip to Jitters for a few of the Legends, Mick and Ray complaining to Sara about the menu.

"Why isn't there an A.T.O.M. drink?" Ray was saying. "An  _Atomic Mocha_  would be awesome! They could put sprinkles on top of the whipped cream."

"You're not even from Central City," Mick grumbled. "The real shame is that there's no Heatwave drink. Heat and coffee, it markets itself."

Sara sighed. "And what did you two do to deserve drinks named after you in Central City?"

"Well, Sara, for one, I helped the Flash save this city from a terrifying bee meta."

Mick scoffed. "What, a giant bee? That's not scary."

"No! Little bees. Like, thousands of horrible robot bees. That's not the point. The Legends have helped take down aliens!"

"And Nazis," Mick nodded, fairly.

"Right! You'd think those feats would've lasted longer in the public memory."

"There should be drinks in our honor all across the country," Mick agreed. "But boozy drinks, forget the coffee drinks."

"Guys. It's your turn to order."

Unfortunately, they never got to order. Because that was when something, or more accurately, someones, burst into Jitters, blasters blazing and sending the coffee shop into complete pandemonium.

("Doesn't this place get attacked like once a week?" Ray had asked when they'd walked in. "You'd think it wouldn't be so popular."

"It's popular  _because_ it gets attacked at least once a week," Mick had grumbled. "People are hoping for the excuse to call out of work.")

Everyone would be calling out of work for this.

And yet, no one seemed to be getting hurt. The blasters, shooting lasers like out of a movie, gunned down espresso machines and bar stools, shattered television screens and countertops, but conveniently missed the patrons.

Except Sara.

She'd lost Mick and Ray almost immediately, dropping and rolling to avoid an early blast. But when she stood, another shot came, and another, and no matter where she pivoted, or crawled, or which overturned tables she used as shields, the shots stayed trained on her, almost like she was the only target.

"Sara!"

A flare of light blurred her vision, a heavy crash knocked her off balance, and that might've been the end for Sara Lance. It almost was. Except that strong hands grabbed her from behind, pulling her into the crowd, down, and pushing her into a corner.

"Would you watch it with that knife?"

The hands belonged to one of the handsomest men she'd ever seen, which was saying something, considering the number of men Sara had met throughout history. He didn't seem concerned about the knife she had angled at his chest, but his features twisted with worry as he looked over his shoulder at the chaos behind him.

"I know you don't know me," he said, turning back to Sara. "But I need you to trust me."

Sara didn't trust anyone easily, let alone a stranger holding her pinned to a corner. But considering he wasn't shooting a blaster at her, he seemed trustworthy enough not to stab immediately.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

"I'm from the future," he said, and his face softened. "Your future."

Suddenly he seemed very young, looking up at her like that, bright blue eyes pleading. She studied his face, taking in his short, dark blonde hair sticking up haphazardly at the ends, and the blonde scruff darkening his jawline. His features were familiar in such an unfamiliar way that a lump rose to her throat, and she couldn't understand why.

"Those men are from your future too," he added, glancing back at the sound of a crash. "They're here to kill you. But I think you already figured that out."

Sara struggled to look around him, realizing as she did that he was using his body as a shield. He was protecting her with his own life.

"Why?"

"Because if they kill you now, I'll never be born."

She froze, eyes widening with sudden urgency. Was he –

A low boom sounded, and the entire building shook as he braced them against the wall.

"I need you to trust me," he repeated, releasing her with one hand to pull a necklace out from under his shirt. "I don't have time to explain." Instead, he held out the chain for her to see.

At the end of the chain was a ring.

Sara knew it immediately. She'd know it anywhere, because the same one was currently tucked in a drawer in her room on the Waverider. She'd been wearing it ever since Mick gave it to her, off and on, until Ava. Then she'd told herself she was putting the past behind her, that she would only look ahead, to the future, and she kept looking ahead even after Ava was gone.

Now the future was here, staring her down, wearing Leonard's old ring on a chain around his neck.

Sara swallowed, then spoke. "Let's go."

He nodded once, springing into action as he wrenched her away from the wall and pushed her in front of him, covering her as they sprinted for the emergency exit. The element of surprise must have helped, because they made it unharmed, bursting through the door to find twin motorcycles waiting for them outside.

The motorcycles already had one passenger each, two women, both wearing sleek black helmets that hid their faces and hair entirely. One of them, Sara realized, was dressed in an outfit almost identical to her own, except for –

"Give her your jacket," the man from her future ordered, trading it for a helmet and tossing it to her double. "These are friends," he said, putting his own helmet on and gesturing to the other rider. "She's going to get you to safety while we cause a distraction."

"Mick and Ray –" Sara protested, but he stopped her, grabbing her helmet back and fitting it on her head.

"They'll be fine," he insisted, easing her onto one motorcycle and then climbing onto the other, her double grabbing him around his waist. With a jolt, she realized what they were planning, that his motorcycle would be targeted instead of hers, that she'd be safe while they were in danger.

"But –"

"I'll see you soon!" he called, because both vehicles had already roared to life, were already speeding away in opposite directions by the time Sara could process any of it, before she could do anything but grab onto the waist of her driver.

* * *

By the time Barry and Nora arrived at Jitters – alone, since they'd insisted the others stay and enjoy the party – the action had passed and the coffee shop was empty. Well, except for Mick and Ray, who were staring at a new hole in the wall with their mouths hanging open.

"Did you see that?" Ray glanced at Barry, pointing weakly.

"Was it a meta?" Barry asked, stepping over the wreckage.

"No," Ray said, "it was a gang of mean looking guys with storm trooper guns."

"And a bunch of kids," Mick added. "They took Sara."

"Don't worry, those 'kids' are my friends," Nora said. "And most of them are in their twenties."

Mick grunted. "Like I said, kids."

Barry gulped, brow furrowing. "More kids from the future?"

Nora set her shoulders, her expression resolute. "Yep. We're meeting at S.T.A.R. Labs."

* * *

Sara's rescuer refused to look at her. She refused to speak or answer any of the questions Sara threw at her during their break-neck, twisting ride through the city. If that hadn't thrown their pursuers off their path, nothing would.

"Who are you?" Sara repeated for the dozenth time, trailing after the mystery woman as she stormed through the halls of S.T.A.R. Labs, leading them directly to the Cortex.

"I think we're safe now," Sara snapped, frustrated and confused. "Can't you tell me anything?"

"We're not safe," the woman huffed in return, going straight for the computers without even bothering to remove her helmet. "Those men could find you in the past. You really think they won't know to look here?" She punched a few buttons, then began typing furiously. "The standard security protocols they keep in this time period are laughable," she grumbled.

"Who was that guy?" Sara persisted. Clearly this woman could multitask. "The one who got me out of Jitters?"

The woman kept her eyes on the computer, typing in annoying silence for another few moments before stopping suddenly, seemingly finished.

She sighed then, turning finally to Sara.

"He's your son," she said matter-of-factly, tugging off her helmet, "and I'm your daughter."

Sara sucked in a breath as the woman's face – her  _daughter's_ face – was finally revealed. Long, black hair fell across her shoulders in a straight sheet, and bright blue eyes flashed at her. She was breathtakingly beautiful, but as Sara searched her face for any resemblance to herself, she couldn't see it. The man from Jitters – the boy, really, he couldn't have been more than 25 – had looked more like her. He had her coloring, her golden skin and light hair. He was the summer to his sister's winter.

But they had the same blue eyes.

Sara tried to find her voice. "You…"

"Shouldn't be here, I know," she sighed, as if expecting a reprimand. "But we didn't have a choice," she explained, something pleading in her voice. "They were going to kill you to erase us from existence. We couldn't let you die, especially not for us."

"Why are they trying to erase you and…him?" Sara couldn't bring herself to say, "your brother", not when it all felt so totally unreal.

"And me," called an indignant voice from the hall. Sara turned to see her other two rescuers jogging to the Cortex, the brother in question beside Sara's would-be double. "Because we're a pain in their asses," she said, smirking.

Now that her helmet was off, Sara could see that she had a sweet, round face, a dusting of freckles over her cheeks and a dimple in her chin. Besides being quite a bit shorter than the other two, she was clearly younger – it was obvious in everything from her youthful face to her carefree swagger. Her black hair was pulled back into braids and a bun, and when she flashed Sara an impish smile, those same bright blue eyes staring back at her, she suddenly saw herself.

"I have  _three_ kids in the future?" Sara cried, utterly shocked and overwhelmed.

"If it makes you feel better, Sara, I met my future daughter today too."

Barry Allen ambled into the Cortex, trailed by Ray, Mick, and a woman Sara didn't recognize.

Oh.  _Barry's daughter._

"It does, sort of?" she said, glancing between Barry and the woman uncertainly.

"This is Nora," Barry introduced. Nora looked supremely uncomfortable as she nodded to her future-hero-kid peers.

"Sara, we're so glad you're okay!" Ray cried, rushing up to her and throwing her into a tight hug. "Your future kids are all really attractive," he added, squeezing a little harder before finally releasing her.

The kids in question all flashed him fond smiles before turning back to each other, snapping back to business.

"You threw them off?" Sara's older daughter (her  _daughter!_ ) asked. She was the oldest of the three, Sara decided, watching the way the other two looked to her.

"Oh yeah," her brother said. "We staged a real dramatic accident. The others are chasing them out of 2018 for good measure."

"Good. Did you find –"

"No," Sara interrupted, putting a hand to her forehead, suddenly unable to take it all. "I can't have kids. This is impossible!" She knew she sounded hysterical, and she didn't care. "How can I have kids?" She certainly didn't have a man in her life. She hadn't even been romantically interested in a man since…

"No," her son (her  _son? No!_ ) said, as they all chose to ignore Sara's outburst.

"Where's Dad?" the young, impish one asked abruptly, turning back to Sara. "We have to make sure he's safe, too."

"We couldn't find his readings in 2018," her sister added. "Is he on another mission?"

"Who's their dad, Sara?" Ray asked cheerfully.

"I have no idea!" Sara yelled, growing more agitated by the moment.

"You don't know where Dad is?"

"I don't know  _who_ he is," she growled. "I don't have children."

"Come on," the boy said, reproachfully. "Stop joking. Aren't you pregnant?"

Sara snapped. " _What?_ "

"Sara! You're already pregnant!" Ray cheered. "Why didn't you say something? Oh! Is Gary the father?"

Mick smacked him across the back of the head. "You think she'd have three kids with  _Gary_?"

"Ow. Well, who else has she seen recently-oh-my-god-it's-Constantine!" Ray gasped, his words running together. "Wait. Why don't they have British accents?"

"That's not how accents work, Haircut."

"Oh yeah, duh, sorry, I just get really excited about these things."

"I'm  _not_ pregnant!" Sara cried.

"Well, you should be soon," the young one muttered, glancing at her older sister. "Her birthday is coming up in about nine months..."

Sara tugged at her hair. "Stop, all of you." She turned back to her would-be children. "Look, I'm sorry, but I don't know who your father is. I think there's been a mistake."

"Okay, here's a clue," the older girl said, rolling her eyes. All three of them clearly still believed she was joking, and it was miserable how not-funny it was. "You fell in love on the Waverider after Rip Hunter recruited you to stop Vandal Savage. Ring any bells?"

Ray gasped. "Oh my god, Mick! Are you the father?"

"I'm right here, Haircut. They're looking for someone else."

Ray's mouth dropped. "Am  _I_  the father?"

Mick's eyes rolled all the way back into his head.

"Is…Jax…your father?" Barry asked, his voice trailing up into a squeak at the three identical glares he received.

Nora huffed, sending him a glare of her own. "You're not funny."

Barry sighed. "Why do I get the feeling you tell me that a lot?"

"Seriously, none of you know who our dad is?" the younger girl asked, frustrated.

"You're not joking? Any of you?" her older sister added. At the sight of all their frowns and shaking heads, she stilled, crossing her arms over her chest.

"It's Leonard Snart," she said, defiantly, sticking her chin out like she dared any of them to disagree.

Sara was speechless. Part of her rebelled against the words, rejected them, absolutely refused to believe them. The other part of her knew instantly that they were true, knew it to her core, really, had already known it, had only been waiting to hear it confirmed since the moment she'd seen Leonard's ring.

And now that they'd said it, she suddenly saw him, Leonard, in all of them. She couldn't believe she hadn't seen it before. Those were his eyes they all had, after all. The oldest one, she looked the most like him, that's why she didn't look as much like Sara. She couldn't look at her face without seeing Leonard now, his straight nose, his full lips, his tall, lanky fame. She could so easily picture him beside her, his arms crossed in just the same way.

But it was impossible.

"Snart's…dead," Barry said, unhappily. "I'm sorry, but there's been a mistake."

"If he were dead, none of us would be here," the younger girl snapped.

"No, really," Ray said, his brow furrowed, "he died in an explosion at a place called the Oculus Wellspring. He died to save us," he gestured to Mick and Sara, "and the world."

"No, he didn't," they protested, all speaking at once.

"You didn't let him!"

"You…"

"He…"

They all trailed off, looking at each other in confusion.

"I can't remember."

"Me either."

"Shit."

"Watch your tongue." Under different circumstances, Sara would've laughed at the big sister scolding her little sister, who just stuck her tongue out in response.

"Wait," the older girl added, suddenly turning to her brother. "Your scar, it's gone." She lifted his hair off his forehead, looking closer. "You've had that scar above your eyebrow since you were a baby, and it's gone."

"Time is changing," he said, grimly.

"It's solidifying," she added, "if we can't remember what happened to Dad."

Just then, a shriek echoed across the room.

"Raimy!" the youngest cried, calling for her sister as she watched her own hand, then arm, begin to disappear.

"Alexa!"

The others watched helplessly as the siblings crashed together, the older ones grabbing their little sister just as her hand and arm snapped back to reality.

"That was horrible," Alexa gasped. "Don't let me be erased!"

"Calm down," Raimy said, even as she clung to her sister. "We're going to figure this out."

Sara felt a strange wave of uncertainty, part of her wanting to comfort the trio, the other part feeling like an intruder in a family she didn't belong to.

"Gideon must've been wrong," their brother said. "She said mom was already pregnant in 2018."

"Gideon's never wrong," Nora argued, coming over to hug Alexa herself. "She must've just been going on the wrong timeline data. Obviously, something changed, even if we can't remember what. No – I can't either," she said, at their questioning looks. "Raimy, do you know when the others should be back?"

"Wait," Ray cut in. "Your name is Raimy?" he asked, his face lighting up with excitement. He turned to Sara, the huge smile on his face growing bigger by the moment. "Did you name her after us?"

"What're you babbling about now?" Mick grumbled.

"Ray and Mick," Ray explained, gesturing to himself and Mick in turn. "Ray-me, Ray plus Mick. Come on, you hear it!"

Raimy herself just sighed, dropping her shoulders. "We weren't going to tell you our names," she groaned. "We wanted to keep  _some_ things a surprise for you."

"They still don't know my name," her brother said, helpfully. "Just call me a nickname until we leave."

"Oh, I know," Alexa said, obviously welcoming the distraction from being nearly erased. She flashed him a mischievous grin. "How about 'Junior'?"

He groaned.

"Junior?" Sara sputtered, surprised back into speech at last.

"It's not what you think," he said, holding up a hand and shaking his head. "Dad would never have named me after…himself."

"Then what did we name you?" Sara countered.

"Well," he sputtered, shrugging helplessly. "I guess you could call me –"

"Q!" A light, feminine voice shouted from the hall. "Q, you'd better be in here, or so help me!"

"That," he breathed, his head snapping up in surprise. "Call me Q."

"'Q!'" His sisters mocked, rolling their eyes as they exaggerated a breathy sigh.

His body stuttered into movement, dazed, but by the time the source of the voice burst into the Cortex, he was rushing to meet her.

"Queenie, what are you doing here?" he called.

Sara's first impression of "Queenie" was that she seemed uncannily familiar. She was only a blur of bright blonde hair, glasses, and a floral dress – the word "cute" came to mind – but she definitely reminded Sara of someone.

"What am  _I_  doing here?" Queenie countered, throwing her arms around him. "You're the one who sent me a  _text_ to say you might be erased from existence. Did you seriously think I wouldn't come?"

He released her then, stepping back. "But how?"

"Your team left the jump ship behind in case of emergency. Seemed like this qualified."

"Thank you," he sighed, drawing her back into another hug.

"Gag me," Alexa groaned.

"Wait," Sara said, her mind suddenly connecting the dots. "Junior – Q – we name him Quentin? After my dad?"

Something tightened in her stomach at the thought, and for the first time, Sara truly felt like she could have a son.

"Oh, please call him 'Quinny'," Alexa said, grinning as Raimy rolled her eyes in exasperation. "It'll make him so mad. 'Only Queenie can call me Quinny,'" she added, her voice low in surprisingly good imitation of her brother.

"Gag me," Raimy agreed.

"Are they dating?" Sara asked, studying the couple as they spoke quietly to one another, and wondering if she should be feeling maternal concern.

"No," Alexa said. "They'd be less unbearable if they were."

Sara hummed, still trying to decide who Queenie reminded her of. "Who is she?"

Just then, a gaggle of colorful twenty-somethings emerged into the Cortex, each more attractive, and cocky, than the last.

" _They_  are the future's heroes."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay here - this story has been more challenging than I thought! I really had fun creating these new future heroes, and I hope you enjoy them too! Thanks for reading :)

"The future is doomed."

Mick scowled at the group of young heroes. "These kids need a babysitter."

He had a point, Sara thought – a few of them looked like they might still be teenagers.

Ray grinned, clapping Mick on the back. "Come on, you're not impressed?"

"That's impressive, Haircut?" Mick grumbled, watching two of the new Legends. They were celebrating with a coordinated victory dance, including fist bumps, hip checks and a high five.

"We are unstoppable," one said. He had a tall, lanky frame, with dark skin and black hair shaped in a high-flying box cut. It was as retro and chock-full of swagger as he was, Sara guessed, if his popped collar and smirk were any indication.

"Untouchable," the other agreed, mumbling around a sucker hanging out of the corner of his mouth. He had a mop of messy, dark hair tucked behind his ears, and wore a pair of round sunglasses that reflected the room in purple hues. The sleeves of his bomber jacket were pushed up, revealing tattoos and bracelets on his tan wrists and fingerless gloves on his hands.

"Raimy," a low voice cut over them as a third pushed forward.

This future Legend was clad from the neck down in a body suit of red, metallic armor, with a glowing, yellow sphere at his chest. He had broad shoulders, a sharp jaw, and black hair, tousled as if he'd just removed the helmet he carried tucked under an arm. But Sara was most struck by the intensity of his dark eyes, trained intently on her supposed-future daughter.

"I thought you were gone," he said, stopping just before her and placing his free hand on her arm. From her place beside them, Sara couldn't miss the way he leaned into her, or how his eyes drank her in, as if needing to convince himself she was real.

Raimy's face fell, her brow furrowing in confusion. "Adam, I'm fine." She leaned into his touch. "What happened?"

He swallowed, as if steeling himself for his next words. "Back on the ship, I started to disappear. I thought I was being erased from the timeline."

Raimy sucked in a breath. Her head jerked up to her siblings, her eyes wide. "The same thing happened to Alexa," she said. Her eyes darted to Sara as she swallowed, then raised her voice so the others could hear. "Our mom is fine, but our dad is gone. Everyone's saying he died.  _Years_  ago."

Adam's brow shot up. "That's impossible."

A chorus of shocked denials rose from the newcomers, each of them echoing his sentiment.

"We were there," Mick bellowed, silencing their protests. "He's gone." Mick scowled, deepening every crease in his hard face. Sara saw all the pain there, and felt it, a hundred times over.

"But did you see him?" Adam insisted. "Did you bury him?"

"Well, no," Ray cut in, watching Mick from the corner of his eyes. "He held down a failsafe device to trigger an explosion. The rest of us had to get out of the blast's range."

"Blondie was the last one who saw him," Mick muttered, his eyes glued to the floor. "I was trying to set off the bomb. Snart knocked me out and took my place." His voice faded to a growl as his eyes went distant, lost in the memory.

Raimy rounded on Sara. "You let him?" Her eyes,  _Leonard's_  eyes, bore into her, round and hurt. "You just left him to die?"

Sara didn't know what to say, staring back at those eyes with her mouth open.  _No,_ she thought, then,  _Yes._

"It wasn't like that," Ray said, but his words felt sorely inadequate in the silence that followed.

Sunglasses tugged his sucker out of his mouth with a pop, and the ridiculous sound defused the tension. "Shit."

"Guess we fucked up again," Box Cut agreed, dropping his arms to his sides in exasperation.

"Can't we have  _one_  win?" Sunglasses sighed. He jabbed his sucker back in his mouth, then gathered his hair back into a high bun, tied with an elastic from his wrist.

"Aw," Ray cooed. "They sound just like us! I like them."

Mick grunted. "I hate kids."

"Where was he last?" Sunglasses asked, rubbing his hands together. "We'll fix this."

"The Vanishing Point," Ray said. "Leonard destroyed the Time Masters, restored free will and generally saved the world."

Box Cut crossed his arms, exchanging a glance with Sunglasses. "Well fuck," he said. "Can you get us there?"

"Duh," Sunglasses said. He pulled his hands a part, and a silvery black sphere appeared before him, spinning and twisting in midair. "You guys ready?"

A blast of cold shot over the sphere, freezing it solid.

"Stop."

All heads turned to another young man, standing with a hand outstretched. For a moment, Sara thought she saw his eyes glow silver blue, but when she blinked, it was gone. He had light brown hair, swept back off his face with soft curls brushing his jawline.

"What d'you think you're doing, twip?" Box Cut stood behind Sunglasses, glaring in solidarity. Suddenly, his eyes lit up yellow, and his head burst into flames.

The other man frowned, and his hands balled into fists. "You need to chill." His eyes frosted over, glowing blue, and his hair brightened, whitening from root to tip.

"Guys, enough!"

A girl jumped between them, holding her hands out, unfazed by their radiating ice and fire.

"And cool it with the ice puns," she added.

"He's rubbing off on you," Sunglasses called, watching from a safe distance.

The girl groaned. "Ugh, that's what I'm saying!"

"We need to think this through," Ice Boy said, ignoring her. Ice crystals crawled over his hands, and his breath came out in a cloud.

"We need to move fast," Box Cut argued. He put his hands up, flames licking his fingers.

"I said enough!" The girl screamed. This time, her voice echoed sharply and painfully through the room, its force so loud it pushed her teammates off their feet. Ice Boy and Box Cut both faded back to normal, groaning from the floor.

"Wow, the future Legends really do take after us," Ray said, grinning at Mick and Sara. "Remember when we used to fight like that?"

Mick shrugged. "What, like yesterday when you ate my lunch?"

Ray didn't hear him, already helping Box Cut to his feet. "You know, your powers look a lot like Firestorm's," he said.

"They are, exactly," Box Cut agreed. "I'm Jason, aka Firestorm." He winked. "Yes, by myself. It's a long story."

"It's not that long of a story," Sunglasses said. "He just doesn't like to talk about it."

"And that sounded like a Canary cry if I ever heard one," Ray said, nodding at the girl.

She had long, straight brown hair pulled back in a ponytail, a black choker wrapped around her neck, and an outfit made entirely of black leather. She frowned, watching Ray with her eyes narrowed.

"What's it to you?" she snarked.

"Just curious," Ray demurred, meandering around the room, pointing at the newcomers in turn.

"That looks a lot like the A.T.O.M. suit," he said, his brows raised at Adam. The younger man just shrugged, his face revealing nothing. Ray's brows furrowed, but he moved on.

"And you, Queenie," Ray mused, turning to the blonde girl, who was still standing off to the side with Quentin. "If you're not the spitting image of Felicity Smoak."

"I know you dated her," she sighed, "let's not make it weird."

"Seriously," Sunglasses agreed, "this is definitely weird enough as it is."

"That vortex you created," Ray added, shifting to him, "looked just like the portals Cisco makes. This might be a long shot, but… Are you his son?"

"I have a son?"

At that moment, Cisco himself entered the Cortex, staring at Sunglasses with wide-eyed disbelief.

"Shit." The boy choked on his sucker, then his jaw dropped, and it fell straight out of his mouth.

"I have a son!" Cisco ran across the Cortex, grabbing Sunglasses by his arms. "Tell me everything! Am I married? Who is your mother? Wait, no, don't tell me. We can't hurt the timeline." He stared at Sunglasses, then shook him. "BUT I NEED TO KNOW! What's your name?"

"Uh," Sunglasses sputtered. "Call me Paco."

Cisco sucked in a breath. "Francisco. You're named after me?"

Paco grimaced. "Guys. Help?"

"What're you all doing here?" Barry asked, drawing attention back up to him. Iris, Caitlin and Ralph had all entered behind Cisco. They watched the scene unfold with mixed expressions of shock and amusement.

"What?" Ralph asked, shrugging. "Did you really think Iris was gonna sit quietly at a baby shower while you ran off with her daughter?"

"Why are you wearing sunglasses unironically inside?" Cisco continued, ignoring the others.

"They're power enhancing," Paco said. "Like your visor, but more shway."

"I don't know what that means, but it's awesome," Cisco said. "What about your ridiculous man bun? Is that power-enhancing too? Otherwise, take it out."

Paco laughed so hard, he doubled over. "This look is working for me," he said, catching his breath. "And, it'd look good on you too. You should try it."

"Maybe we should get back to the crisis at hand," said Adam, and the yellow light in his armor seemed to glow brighter for a moment, catching their attention. He frowned at his teammates, his expression dark. "If Leonard Snart is dead, then Raimy, Alexa and Quentin could cease to exist at any moment."

"And you," Alexa murmured, but Raimy cut her off with a glare.

"I still can't believe Sara and Leonard have  _three_ kids in the future!" Ray gushed, grinning at Sara. "Mick, did you see this coming?"

Mick rolled his eyes. "No. Mainly 'cause he died."

"Is it true, Sara?" Barry asked, breaking the sad hush that followed. "You and Snart…" He paused, a crinkle forming in his forehead. "You fell in love on the Waverider? I'm so sorry, I never knew."

Sara nearly choked on the question. In that moment, everyone in the room disappeared. In that moment, she saw Leonard again, as she pulled away from their kiss, his face lit by the blue glow of the bomb that would kill him.

_You just left him to die?_

"No."

Sara blinked back against the weight of their stares. She turned away, not wanting to see the looks on her would-be children's faces.

"No…?" Barry asked, confused.

"No, we didn't fall in love," Sara clarified, her voice hard. "I'm sorry to disappoint you." She shook her head, willing them to look away. "You all must've come from an alternate timeline or something."

Quentin sighed. "That's not possible. We have safeguards from Gideon."

Sara crossed her arms, steadying in her resolve. "Well, then they failed."

"Let me ask you this," Raimy said. "Didn't you spend all your free time together?"

"No," Sara said, at the same time Mick and Ray said, "yes."

"It was sweet," Ray added. "They were always playing cards."

"You mean 'playing cards,'" Mick said, inserting heavy air quotes.

"And didn't he give you his jacket that time when you were freezing to death?" Alexa asked, "to keep you alive just a little longer, even if it hurt him?"

"Well, yes," Sara admitted, "but –"

"Didn't he choose you," Quentin added, "over his best friend, when Mick almost killed you?"

"Yes," Mick said, answering for her.

"I think we all knew how strongly he felt about you then," Ray agreed.

"Look, that doesn't mean we were 'in love,'" Sara said, sarcasm dripping from the words. "Who even told you all that?"

"Uncle Mick and Uncle Ray, of course," Quentin said, smirking.

"Have you at least considered that you might have landed in an alternate timeline?" Sara asked, growing irritated.

Nora shifted uncomfortably, but Raimy was resolute. "We are  _not_  in an alternate timeline," she said, her voice low and intense. "Our enemies chased  _you_  here to destroy us. They're probably responsible for what happened to Dad."

"Dad!" Sara huffed, her voice suddenly rising. "You don't have a dad." She could feel the hysteria bubbling up, and she took a deep breath, trying to control herself. "Look, I'm sorry, but you've got it all wrong."

"I do have a father." Raimy closed the distance between them, using her height to tower over Sara. "He's the love of your life. And I'm going to get him back. With or without your help."

The women stared each other down, blue eyes meeting blue. For a moment, Sara truly thought she would punch her.

Then Barry coughed, breaking the tension. "I think maybe the grown ups should go talk," he said, gesturing to the hall.

Sara nodded once, her muscles still tense and coiled as she forced herself to walk away.

Paco snorted. "While they go off to handle their midlife crises," he said, rolling his eyes, "let's figure out a plan."

Cisco's mouth dropped. "Watch your mouth, young man!"

"C'mon, Ramon Senior," Ralph teased, dragging him along. "Team Classic?" He added, glancing back to be sure they were all following.

Adam's voice trailed them out of the Cortex. "They didn't bury him," he said, his voice growing distant. "And we're all still here. That means he's out there, and we can fix this."

Sara ignored him, letting her feet carry her down the corridor.

"Those are not my children," she said, when they were out of earshot.

"Well, they look an awful lot like you," Ray said.

Mick grunted. "They look like Snart."

"A really great mix of both of you!" Ray amended. "I mean, you're both attractive on your own, but your kids…"

"Not. My. Kids." She tossed her hands in the air, and her legs began pacing back and forth. "It's impossible."

"Sara," Iris said, placing a hand to her arm to stop her pacing. "Barry and I just found out we're going to be parents too. I know how crazy this all sounds, but we have to hear them out."

"Uh, hello?" Cisco pouted. "Did I not also just find out I'm going to be a dad? Where's my sympathy?"

"Do you need sympathy?" Barry asked, and his mouth curved up in a smile. "You seemed pretty excited about it."

Cisco groaned. "But I have no idea who his mother could be! Do you know how stressful that is?"

Ralph grinned. "Well. Who do you want it to be? Gypsy? That pretty bartender?"

"What about Kendra?" Barry asked helpfully. "You two really got along."

"You know, I was engaged to her," Ray said. "You could show some tact."

Barry's eyebrows raised. "I didn't know," he said. "What happened?"

"Please don't get us started on Bird Girl," Mick groaned. "He'll never stop."

"Did you see that one boy with the ice powers?" Caitlin asked, cutting in. "Do you think he –"

"Looked a lot like me?" Ralph asked. "Yeah, I was just thinking that! Could he be my son?"

Caitlin's eyebrows shot up. She pursed her lips, then frowned. "That's not what I was going to say."

"Well," Ralph chuckled, "if I'm not his father, who could it possibly be?"

"What, I'm gone for a  _day_  and you replace me with twenty new heroes?"

They all turned at the sound of a voice and footsteps as a newcomer approached from down the hall.

"Harry?" Caitlin asked.

He smirked. "I knew you'd miss me, but if I'd known you'd need that much help, I never would've left."

"It's been like, three or four months," Barry said, fairly, "and there's not even ten of them."

"Not the point, Bare," Iris whispered.

"Harry," Caitlin repeated, then rushed down the hall, throwing her arms around his neck. "What're you doing here?" She pulled back, a huge smile on her face even as Harry looked down on her in bemusement.

"It's been awhile," he said, softly. "And I've been feeling more myself lately. Thought I'd come say hello while Jesse is out of town with friends." He paused, a small smile forming on his lips as he watched Caitlin. "Who's the welcoming committee?"

"Oh hey, Uncle Harry," Quentin said, strolling into the hall with a casual wave. He was followed by his sisters, Nora and Adam.

"Allen," Harry growled, rounding on Barry. "Why is this grown man calling me uncle? What've you done to the timeline now?"

Barry threw his hands up. "This has nothing to do with me, I swear."

"Uncle Harry!" Nora gushed, giving the stunned man a quick hug of her own. "Did you come to help my parents and the team save Uncle Leonard?"

" _Uncle Leonard_?" Sara muttered. "This gets less and less possible by the second."

"Your parents?" Harry wondered, turning a smirk on Barry. "Let me guess. Your last name is some combination of West and Allen."

"Duh," Nora said, giggling at him.

Harry rolled his eyes. "You were saying, Allen?"

"It might have a little to do with me," Barry grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "But it's mostly about them," he added, gesturing to Quentin, Alexa and Raimy.

"We're working on a plan," Raimy said, taking that as her cue. "Mom – " she stopped herself, shaking her head. "I mean, Sara," she blinked, fixing her expression. "Will you come with me to the Waverider? We'd like to have Gideon check you to be sure we're not in an alternate timeline."

Sara crossed her arms over her chest. "And prove to me that you're my kids?"

Alexa shrugged. "You said it."

"Will you come?" Raimy insisted.

Sara sighed, dropping her arms. "Fine."

"Great," Raimy said, though she didn't sound happy. "Quentin and Alexa will stay here with the others to work on our rescue plan."

"Operation Dad," they said simultaneously, high-fiving without even looking at each other.

"I'm coming with you," Adam said, his gaze fixed on Raimy and his tone final. "You're going to want back up in case you're attacked on the way to the ship," he added, as she started to protest.

Raimy sighed, her expression resigned. "Fine. Let's go."

"Ooh, I'll go too!" Ray said, springing into step beside them. "Two A.T.O.M.s are better than one, I always say."

Sara glanced between Adam and Ray, and suddenly Ray’s mental math added up. They were about the same height and build, with the same dark hair, brow and set to their jaws. While his demeanor was a great deal more serious, Adam could be a younger Ray.

Or his son.

"My name is Adam," he said, raising a stoic eyebrow at Ray. "You're the A.T.O.M."

Ray shrugged, grinning. "If you say so. How different is your Gideon from ours?" He added, easily changing the subject. "I can't wait to meet her."

Raimy shook her head, exasperated, but made no move to stop him as he followed down the hall. "Let us know if you need help," she said, glancing over her shoulder at her brother and sister.

"Will do," Alexa replied, saluting.

"I guess I'm on babysitting duty," Mick sighed. Then he turned to Barry and Iris. "I'm going to need time and a half for this many kids."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait again- since I last posted, I started a new job and bought my very first house! To make up for it, have an extra long chapter :) Things are about to get crazy. I hope you enjoy it!

"So, Adam is definitely my future son, right?" Ray gushed, keeping his voice low as he and Sara followed Raimy and Adam to the future Waverider.

Sara gritted her teeth, using every ounce of willpower to not roll her eyes. "Who knows?"

"He's gotta be," Ray whispered. "Look at him! His suit, his features…" He stopped short, gasping. "What if Nora is his mother? His eyes sparkle just like hers."

Sara gagged. "Spare me."

Ray just grinned. "Look at our kids together," he sighed happily, watching Adam and Raimy, their heads bent toward each other in quiet conversation. "Do you think they get married in the future?"

"We don't know for sure that they're together," Sara pointed out, "or that he's your kid," she added, not that Ray listened.

"Please! Don't you see the way Adam looks at your daughter?" Ray sent her a conspiratorial grin. "He's smitten. No—more than smitten. More like,  _desperately_  in love. Palmer boys fall hard."

"You need to stop reading Rory's romance novels." Sara groaned. "And I still don't think she's my—"

"Sara," Ray stopped her. "She is. I know it's complicated with you and Snart, but why are you so against the idea?"

Sara pressed her lips together, looking away.

"You don't get it," she muttered. "I'm not meant to be a mother."

Ray opened his mouth to speak, but then gasped as they finally entered the Waverider of the future.

"Wow," he breathed, craning his neck to look around.

Sara had to agree, gazing in wonder at what used to be just a plain metal hallway. Someone had painted it from floor to ceiling, a mix of mural and graffiti art in every color of the rainbow. Everywhere she looked were scenes of the Legends and their deeds past and present. Sara noticed an image of the original team silhouetted on a rooftop, the night Rip first recruited them. There was Martin in his Old West outfit, and Rory with George Washington. She saw Kendra in her Hawk mask and Amaya with her totem, Rip in his trench coat and Jax as Firestorm. She even saw herself as White Canary, back to back with Captain Cold…

She could've spent hours looking at the murals, remembering old friends and wondering at the battles and Legends yet to come. But then they passed out of the tunnel and onto the bridge, leaving those memories behind.

Gideon's cool voice washed over them from above.

"Welcome back, Captain Lance."

"Hey, Gideon," Sara said, then started, as Raimy echoed her words at the same time.

Raimy's mouth twisted in a rue smile. "She was talking to me. Sorry."

Sara bristled in disbelief. "Gideon, you were talking to me, right?"

"I was addressing Captain Raimy Lance, of course," the AI replied, smoothly. "Although it is wonderful to see you, Sara."

Sara huffed. "Oh, so we're on a first name basis in the future?"

"It would seem," Gideon said, and though she didn't laugh, the air rang a bit as if she had.

"So," Sara said, turning back to Raimy and swallowing her pride, "you have my last name instead of Snart's. Why?"

Raimy frowned, exchanging a look with Adam before answering. "Dad thought there was too much baggage with his name." She met Sara's eyes. "He thought if we ever wanted to live normal lives, it would be easier to be Lances."

"Aw," Ray cooed. "Sounds like Leonard makes a good dad. Who knew?"

"So, your brother and sister are Lances too?" Sara asked, ignoring him. "And what about me?" She added. "Did I take Snart's last name?"

Raimy exchanged another glance with Adam, then sighed. "Look, details about the future are on a need to know basis, and none of this is need to know." She turned, speaking over her shoulder as she strode toward the hall to the med bay. "If you want to know the future, better help make sure it happens," she said. "Then you can find out for yourself."

Sara folded her arms across her chest, not liking the way Raimy led, assuming she'd be followed.

"Come on, Sara," Ray coaxed. "Your daughter is captain of the Waverider in the future. Aren't you at least a little proud?"

Adam chuckled, brushing by to join Raimy in the hall. "You should be," he said. "Trust me, she had competition."

Grudgingly, Sara could admit to herself that she would be proud, if she ever had a daughter. But she didn't. And she didn't believe she ever could.

The brief walk to the med bay felt more like a funeral march, Sara glowering the whole way. She was only doing it to appease them—she knew they were wrong. Raimy wasn't her daughter, and Gideon would prove it. As she climbed onto the exam chair, she repeated it to herself like a mantra.  _They're wrong. They're wrong. They'll see._

And then Gideon scanned her, announcing that she  _was,_ in fact, part of the same timeline as Raimy and the others.

_Shit._

Well, Sara swallowed, believing it and accepting it were two very different things.

"Of course Sara is your mother," Gideon said, speaking to Raimy. If an artificial intelligence could sound offended, she certainly did. "I helped her deliver you, after all."

Sara did a double take. "I gave birth  _here?"_

"Where else?" Gideon asked. "You refused to leave your captain's post, despite Mr. Snart's arguments that a timeship would be unfit for childbirth. He would've taken you to 2095, when labor is at its safest. See how wrong he was?"

"Wow," Ray grinned. "Gideon, did I help deliver Raimy too?"

"Of course, Dr. Palmer," Gideon replied. "You insisted, and we had no other options."

"No other options?" Ray deflated. "Wouldn't I have been the first choice? I have a merit badge in first aid."

"That's enough of spoiling the future," Raimy said, rolling her eyes. "Thank you, Gideon."

"Captain," Gideon said, a strange hesitance to the word. "There's something else you need to know."

Raimy frowned. "What is it?"

Gideon paused, as if choosing her words. "Based on my scan of Sara, the window for your conception is growing frighteningly small."

Raimy froze. "What do you mean?"

"According to my calculations," Gideon said, "in just under two hours, you will no longer be a genetic possibility."

Sara met Raimy's eyes. Understanding passed between them with a shudder.

"You're saying that if I'm not conceived within two hours," Raimy started, her hands balling into fists, "I won't be born?"

Gideon sighed. "That's correct."

"We'll just have to go further back in time," Raimy said, relaxing at the thought. "Rescue Dad sooner."

"That won't be possible," Gideon said, her cool voice grim. "The timeline is almost solidified. If we leave without altering this course, you'll be erased as soon as we make the jump."

"We could jump to the time stream," Adam cut in. "She'd be immune to any changes there."

"Captain Lance would have to remain in the time stream indefinitely," Gideon replied. "The Waverider could never land again."

"That's not an option." Raimy turned away, her voice low and angry.

"Raimy," Adam said, reaching for her. She pushed him aside. "We'll figure this out," he insisted.

"We don't even have my father," Raimy cried. "It's not possible."

"I can administer Sara a dose of hormones that would extend the window up to four hours," Gideon said. "It's perfectly safe," she added, "but I would need to give it as soon as possible. Immediately, in fact."

Raimy locked eyes with Sara, her own blue eyes round and pleading. "If I'm not born, Adam will never come on to the Waverider. He'll be erased along with me."

Ray, watching from the corner, made a strangled sound of protest.

"That's the least of your concerns," Adam said, taking a step toward her.

"Don't act like it doesn't matter!" Raimy snapped, wrenching back.

"What do you mean he'll be erased?" Ray asked. "How—"

"Please," Raimy said, ignoring them and taking Sara's hand. "I know this is crazy to you. And you don't have to have me if you don't want to. Just give us a little more time to figure it out." Her desperation hung over the room, a physical thing.

Sara wanted to say no. She'd never wanted kids, not since before the  _Gambit_ , and especially not since things ended with Ava. She wasn't meant for it. She'd disappoint them.

But then Raimy squeezed her hand, and she felt her heart squeeze with it.

"Fine!" Sara burst, not even fully aware of what she was saying. "Give me the dose, Gideon."

"Right away," the AI said, and Sara winced at the prick of a needle in her arm.

It was just to buy them more time, Sara told herself. It didn't mean anything.

Ray wheeled on Raimy, stricken. "Why will my son be erased from the timeline if you're not born?" He demanded.

Adam sighed, stepping between them. He and Raimy exchanged a look, and she nodded sharply.

"You are my father," Adam admitted, "but it's not how you think. I'm not your…" He swallowed. "I was adopted." He paused a beat, letting Ray absorb his words.

Ray flinched, his eyebrows flicking up in surprise.

"The Legends found me in 3031," Adam continued. "I was being held at the medical testing facility where I was born, bred for experiments. No better than a rat." His eyes narrowed, lost in memory. "I was ten, or so Gideon told us. Not like they celebrated my birthdays."

Ray cringed, and Sara felt a wave of disgust rise in her throat. Why, after all they'd done, was the future still so awful?

"It's a long story, but," he continued, "Raimy found me. She'd snuck off the Waverider while you and Mick were supposed to be watching her." A ghost of a smile passed over his lips as his eyes darted to Raimy. "She caused a distraction with a few minor explosions. Freed me and a dozen others from imprisonment. Then she brought me to the Waverider."

Sara hummed. It sounded like the kind of prison break Leonard would have pulled...

"How old were you?" she asked, impressed despite herself.

"Twelve," Raimy said, shrugging, as if that were the least of her pre-teen accomplishments. "It was easy to convince you to let me save him," she added, smiling fondly at Ray. "Uncle Mick went along with it after that. We hid Adam onboard for three months before anyone else found out." She smirked, and Sara was reminded again of Leonard, so forcibly it almost hurt. "By then, there was no way we could take him back to his time, to that place."

"And you took me in," Adam finished, looking to Ray. "You raised me as your son. Are you disappointed?" He added, a quiet afterthought.

"Disappointed?" Ray scoffed. "Why—"

"I'm not your blood," Adam said.

Ray's features softened. "Being a father takes more than DNA," he said. "I should know—I never had one. That's why I'm so excited to know I get to have a son," he added. "And look how you turned out. How could I be disappointed?"

Adam smiled at that, his whole face brightening. "I'm glad."

Ray grinned too, but the smile vanished as his eyebrows crinkled in thought. "So, without Raimy, you die at the testing site?" He asked, his eyes darting pleadingly to Sara.

"I wish," Adam said. His head hung. "My fate is more terrible."

Ray frowned. "What—"

"Without Captain Lance's intervention, he will become one of the worst tyrants the multiverse has ever known," Gideon inserted. "A hundred times more powerful and deadly than Vandal Savage—he'll be a conqueror across both time and universes."

Ray's jaw dropped. "You don't seem like a vicious tyrant."

"Thanks to you, and the other Legends," Adam said, "I'm not."

"Sara," Ray said, his voice hushed, "you have to have Raimy. To save the multiverse!"

"Nothing as dramatic as that," Adam assured her. "We're actually not sure if my displacement will do more harm than good. Without me in the future, another tyrant rises. The one we're fighting now." He stopped, his features freezing. "Raimy," his voice lowered, "it's my fault this happened. If I hadn't left the future, your family would never have been targeted."

Raimy scoffed. "It's not your fault you were rescued from slavery and torture," she said, placing a hand on his arm. "And don't forget, I'm the one who changed history. We can't change it back unless…" she trailed off, her eyes drifting to Sara.

"We have four hours?" Sara asked, breaking Raimy's gaze.

"Just under," Gideon replied. "I've fabricated a timer for you to wear on your wrist," she added, helpfully. "I've also fabricated some prenatal vitamins for you. As I recall, you had issues with nausea during your first pregnancy. This formulation should be easy on your stomach."

"No pressure," Sara sighed, snapping the silver band onto her wrist and swallowing the pill dry. "Well, even if I was sure about this—which I'm not," she added, glancing up at Raimy and the others, "I can't exactly make a baby on my own."

"Maybe Gideon has some genetic data from Snart in cryo storage?" Ray wondered.

"Ugh, gross," Sara balked. "How would she even get that?"

"I meant from when she replicated his arm!" Ray huffed. "Obviously your head is in the gutter." He paused. "On second thought, maybe that's a good thing."

"Even my technology is not that advanced, Mr. Palmer," Gideon said, a chiding tone to her voice. "We do need the real thing. But, if he were here, we could explore artificial insemination."

Sara shuddered. Something about the idea of  _that_  was too cold, considering how she felt about—

"Let's cross that bridge when we come to it," Raimy said, watching Sara. "First, we need to help the others get him back."

"Hey, Raimy."

A voice buzzed from Raimy's wrist. She lifted it to her eyes, pressing a button on a small silver band, and a miniature image of Quentin sprang to life in hologram.

"Tell me you have good news," Raimy said, "because we have a situation."

"Yes and no," he hedged. "We've got Dad."

"Thank god," Raimy sighed.

"How'd you get him so fast?" Ray whined. "We wanted to help!"

"Not the point, Ray!" Sara groaned.

The point was that Leonard was  _alive_. Her chest sang at the thought of it, even as her stomach twisted in nervous knots.

"I got him back for you, Sara!" Barry said, squeezing into the picture and waving. "Now you guys can fall in love for real."

"With two Vibes and two speedsters, it was pretty easy," Quentin added.

"Alright, showoff," Raimy said. "What's the bad news?"

"The bad news," he paused, glancing behind him, "is that Dad took on some excess time radiation before we could grab him."

"We think he'll be okay, Sara!" Caitlin called, poking her head into the video frame. "Don't worry, Harry and I are taking good care of him."

"As usual, Snow is downplaying the situation to spare your feelings," Harry inserted. "It was a very close call. No guarantees."

"He's exaggerating!" Caitlin insisted.

"Do we know what the long-term damage will be?" Raimy asked, her voice steady, even if her hand wasn't.

"How will this impact his fertility?" Ray called.

"Unknown," Quentin answered. "We're all still here, so that's a good sign."

"For now," Raimy muttered.

"The time radiation likely aged him a couple years," Harry added. "Hope you like older men, Lance."

"Who doesn't?" Caitlin murmured. In the corner of the frame, Harry's head swiveled toward her.

"Who doesn't like young, healthy men?" Ralph added, from somewhere offscreen.

"It's probably for the best," Quentin said. "We think it caught him up to be about the right age for us to be born."

"Don't worry, Sara, he looks the same!" Barry called.

"That man is ageless," Caitlin agreed.

"Okay," Raimy said, nodding. "How's he doing now?"

"He's still out," Quentin said. "Alexa is sitting with him."

"He's asking for her!" At that moment, Alexa came bounding into the frame, breathless and smiling. "It was so romantic. The first thing he said when he woke up was,  _'Sara?'_ " She sighed, clasping her hands to her cheeks. "I mean, I think he thought I was you, but it was still  _so_ sweet. I knew you were full of it, Mom!"

"He's awake?" Quentin asked, his eyes narrowing, "and you left him?"

"He's in and out," Alexa shrugged. "What! It seemed important to tell her." Quentin lifted an eyebrow.

"Sorry I want our parents to be in love," she snarked. "Or do you like the feeling that your whole life was a lie?"

"Alexa…"

"He's fine," she insisted. "I left him with Uncle Mick."

"Alright," Quentin relented, "we'll check on him in a minute. What's your situation, Raimy?"

"Oh, I just can't wait to see the look on his face when he finds out we're his kids!" Alexa squealed, talking over him. "It'll be priceless."

It would be, Sara realized.

"Don't!"

Sara sprang from the med bay chair, pushing her way into the video frame. "Don't tell him," she repeated, more insistent.

"What?" Quentin and Alexa both stared at her.

"Please," Sara said, "Let me be the one to tell him. I have to know…" she trailed off. "Just let me."

Leonard Snart was an expert at hiding his emotions, even when he was at his most vulnerable. The moment he first reacted to the news could be her only chance to gauge his true feelings about it. And she had to know.

"Okay," Quentin said, softly.

"You'd better get your ass down here then," Alexa added.

"Yes," Raimy said, shifting the camera back onto herself. "That's what I was going to tell you. We need Mom and Dad to talk as soon as possible. In a few hours, I—"

Quentin's eyes rolled back in his head, and Raimy stopped short. His hand fell, dragging the camera with it as he slumped to the ground. A low groan sounded over the connection.

"Quentin!" Alexa cried.

"Everybody get down!" Quentin growled, his voice tight with pain.

Then the video cut.

And the alarms sounded overhead.

"The troopers broke my geo fence," Raimy said, turning to Adam with wide eyes. "Get to the bridge. Gideon!"

"Yes, Captain?" Gideon asked, as Raimy rushed down the hall, the others close behind her.

"Get the guns locked and loaded," she said, taking her seat in the captain's chair. "We can't let them break into S.T.A.R. Labs."

"We're too late, I'm afraid."

* * *

" _No strings on me."_

It felt like falling, Leonard thought, this dying business. Like falling and falling, just as lonely as Sara described. He hated it. He wished he could take it back.

What fools, heroes.

Then, all at once, he fell up instead of down. He came to with a shudder and a sharp inhale, the world a blur and yet more clear than he'd ever seen it.

" _He looks so young…"_

"… _Think he's coming to…?"_

"… _Should tell him…"_

"Sara?"

He focused on the figure leaning over him, her voice and silhouette achingly familiar. He'd been so stupid with Sara. All those moments, wasted, boiled down to a fleeting kiss he couldn't even enjoy.

But he'd never forget the wanting.

"I'm sorry," she murmured. "Sara will be here soon." Some of the fog lifted from Leonard's vision, and the woman's face melted into view. She  _was_ Sara, but not. Her hair was too dark, her face too young. But as his eyes drifted shut again, and the woman faded, he could believe it was her. He wanted it to be her.

He felt the woman leave his side, an absence that raked at him. And then another presence stepped to take her place.

"Hey, Boss."

"Mick," he rasped. His eyes wouldn't open again, but he knew that voice as well as his own. "Glad you made it, old friend."

Mick would kill him for what he'd done. But Leonard hoped not, because he was  _alive._ He'd been so sure he'd die there, at the Oculus. He hadn't wanted to.

"You're an idiot," Mick said, bluntly. "But I missed you." He was quiet a moment, then, "it's real good to see you again. Been too long."

"How long…?" Leonard trailed off. He couldn't have been out more than a few hours. A few days?

"Three years."

Leonard's eyes snapped open. "What—"

"You've been dead," Mick said, just like that. "For three years." He sighed, sitting heavily in the seat beside the bed. "Welcome back."

_Three years._ Leonard took a deep breath, struggling to process. His gaze cast about, looking for answers, landing on a sign.

"Are we at S.T.A.R. Labs?" He asked. His mouth felt like cotton, his throat so dry he could hardly speak.

"Yup," Mick agreed, holding a cup for Leonard to drink. "Better get your thank you ready for the Flash. He saved your life."

Leonard accepted the water, chugging it all in one gulp. "That's terrible," he gasped, coming up for air. He didn't mean it, of course. He'd long since grown a fondness for Scarlet. But it was easier to pretend.

"You're telling me." Mick grunted. "I'm the one who had to put up with him."

"Thank you," Leonard said, meeting his partner's eyes. He had no idea what'd happened, but he was sure it'd been hard on Mick.

"I'm just the babysitter," Mick mumbled, looking away.

Then a cry rang out from down the hall.

" _Quentin!"_

" _Everybody get down!_ "

There was a beat of silence.

And then an alarm sounded.

"Uh oh," Mick muttered.

"What's that?" Leonard asked, struggling to lift himself out of bed.

"Nothing good," Mick said, his expression dark. He looped an arm around Leonard's shoulders, hoisting him up and then crouching them down.

Just as a shockwave shook the entire building, and the glass walls surrounding them simultaneously shattered.

" _Watch out!"_

The echo of footsteps pounded toward them.

"Get behind me," Mick ordered, pushing Leonard back.

"No—"

"Get back, you asshole!" Mick growled. "You're unarmed and you can't even stand."

With empty hands and no heat gun in sight, Mick was hardly better off. But the dangerous look on his face dared Leonard to argue, and for once, he kept his mouth shut.

Mick tensed as the footsteps closed in, then relaxed as Barry Allen and a group of others slid into view.

"You're okay!"

The woman—girl, really—who'd been with Leonard when he woke heaved a sigh of relief.

"Come on," she said, sliding over the glass shards to help Mick lift him back to his feet. "We've gotta get somewhere secure."

"Cisco's lab only has one entrance," Allen said.

"Can't you just zip around and carry us all there?" Leonard snarked, limping around the dramatic height difference between the girl and Mick, as they both tried to pull him forward. "Also," he added, "I hear a thank you is in order. So, thanks, kid."

"Oh, I missed you, Snart," Allen said, helping his doctor friend over the glass. "I dunno what that blast did, but I can't use my powers."

"Me neither," complained a tall, gangly man behind her.

"Come on!" A younger man—a boy?—urged them forward, into the hall. "We don't have much time!"

"Q, are you okay?" The girl asked, shifting under Leonard's weight. "What happened back there?"

"I'm fine," the boy insisted. "But we won't be if we don't—shit."

They rounded a corner, only to find a group of armored men entering the hall from the other side.

"I've got him. Go!" Mick yelled, pulling Leonard off the girl and pushing him to the side.

She didn't waste any time, somersaulting down the hall, coming up with throwing stars between her knuckles. They landed in the necks of her targets, then shocked them with a jolt.

"New toys?" The boy asked, pulling out a gun in each hand as the first men fell, waiting until the footsteps of the next came closer.

"Adam helped me with the electrics," she grinned. "I'll have Gideon fabricating them in no time."

Then the next wave of men rounded the corner. The boy fired his guns, the blasts shooting fire out of one hand and ice out of the other, pistol versions of the heat and cold guns.

"Where'd he get those?" Leonard demanded. After three years, had the team replaced him so easily?

"Let's go!" The girl called as the last men fell.

They sprinted down the hall, Mick dragging Leonard along, finally reaching the lab. Mick sat Leonard in a corner, leaving him to catch his breath as the others filed in.

"This isn't exactly secure," the boy complained, jiggling the door handle. It didn't even lock. "Jitters is safer than this." He rolled his eyes, jabbing a button on his wrist. "Raimy, are you there?"

"Here," came the disembodied voice of a woman. "What's your status?"

"I've got Alexa, Mick, Barry, Ralph, Caitlin, Harry and—Leonard," he said, hesitating just slightly at his name. "We're holed in the mechanic's lab, but we won't last long. No meta powers," he added. "Killer Frost?" He glanced up at Caitlin. She shook her head, a silent apology.

"They threw a dampening cloak over the building," the woman, Raimy, said, her voice low and worried. "They sent a lot of men, Q."

"Where are Iris and the others?" Barry asked, his brows furrowed.

"I'll see if I can patch them in," Raimy said.

"We're fine!" A new voice came through the microphone, warm and feminine. Barry's girlfriend, if Leonard remembered right. "Don't worry, Bare. I've got Nora, Cisco and the other Young Legends. We're in the speed lab."

"We're just the Legends," came another voice, this one male and bored-sounding. "And, we're not that young."

Iris hummed. "You seem pretty young to me."

The boy frowned into his wrist. "Queenie? Are you okay?"

"I'm not the one who almost just died of a seizure," a female voice quipped. "Yeah, I hacked into your vitals. Because they  _stopped,_  Quentin. What happened?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "It wasn't a seizure."

"Sure looked like it," she countered.

"It was like, I had a vision," the boy—Quentin—said. "Of the future, right before it happened."

"Like a vibe?" Cisco's voice came over the comm.

"Maybe," Quentin hedged. "I don't know. Let's get out of this and we'll figure it out."

Barry nodded, stepping forward. "How're you guys doing without powers?" He asked.

"Marty here has been a real help," Iris said. "And Kate can swing a punch. We're fine."

"Quentin." Raimy's voice cut in. "Gideon says you've got company. A dozen troopers headed your way."

"Why aren't we firing at their ship?"

Leonard's head jerked as another voice echoed out of the comm, this one he would know anywhere. He'd been hearing it in his dreams for weeks, after all.

_Sara._

Leonard's stomach swooped. Did she know he was alive? Would he live long enough to see her again?

"We're outmanned and outgunned," Raimy said, drawing Leonard's thoughts back to the present. "If we give away our location, they'll shoot us out of the sky. We need a plan."

"We need to  _do_ something," Sara argued. "They're sitting ducks!"

"Speaking of…" Quentin started, his head turned to the sound of footsteps pounding toward them.

"I'm not getting us killed for nothing," Raimy said, not hearing him, her tone final. "They need us alive."

"Alexa," Quentin said, turning to the girl as Raimy and Sara argued in the background. "My guns won't hold a charge for much longer. How many more of those electro-stars do you have?"

"Four," she said. "They weren't easy to make. But I've still got a few knives, too."

"Save those for close combat," he said, raising a gun and steeling himself at the door—just as another young man burst through.

"Watch out!" His brown hair turned white, the tips brushing his jawline as he moved, spinning around and shooting a blast of cold at the door far greater than anything Leonard's gun could have produced. In just a few moments, a sheet of ice a foot thick separated them from the door.

"That should hold them."

The newcomer turned, his white bright eyes and hair fading back to normal.

"Oh my god," Caitlin whispered. "You  _are_ like me."

"What did you do?" Quentin demanded, rounding on the man. "You just left everyone else?"

"They're coming after  _you_  guys," he argued. "And you're not the only one allowed to care about saving his—"

He cut off, frowning. Leonard followed his gaze to Alexa, who was watching him, her eyes wide.

"That's enough, Marty," she murmured. "Thank you for saving us, but I don't think that's going to hold long enough, either."

"I've got it!" A high voice cheered from Quentin's wrist.

"What've you got Queenie?"

"I rigged the alarm system. You guys should get down. And," she added, taking a deep breath, "cover your ears. This may break the comm, so if it does…see you on the other side."

And without another warning, a high-pitched wail echoed through S.T.A.R. Labs. Leonard jammed his ears plugged, but it didn't matter. The screaming pierced through his ears, through his bones, through his entire body. It stretched on and on, never ending, and he cried out from the ache of it. He squeezed his eyes shut, grateful as the pain pulled him under.

* * *

" _She said not to tell him."_

" _I still think we should—"_

" _No."_

Leonard rose through the darkness for the second time, his ears ringing. He groaned, rolling onto his side.

"You okay, Boss?"

This time, he opened his eyes to find Mick crouching over him, a frown deepening the creases around his mouth.

"I'm alive," Leonard said, very much feeling it.

"Good." Mick clapped him on the back, helping him sit up. "That's how I like you."

"Raimy?"

Quentin was talking into his wrist. He tapped the silver band there a few times, then frowned, dropping his hand to the side.

"We've lost comms," he said. "How's everyone doing?"

Barry was wobbling to his feet. He waved, nodding his head, too winded for speech.

From the corner, a pile that was Caitlin, Harry and Ralph sat up together.

"Guys, get off me," she groaned. Harry rolled away, but Ralph stayed with his arm wrapped around her shoulder.

"Are you alright, Caity?" He asked, his face dipping closer to hers.

"I'm fine," she insisted, pushing him off. "And never call me Caity again."

"Good thing I saved you," Ralph smiled, dusting himself off.

"You did no such thing," Harry snapped, glaring at him.

"We're lucky we were insulated from the worst of it." The newcomer, Marty, was already standing, leaning against the wall. "Hopefully that was enough to force the troopers to retreat."

Alexa hummed, craning her neck back to look at the ceiling. "We could check." She dropped her eyes back to Quentin. "You thinking what I am?"

Quentin sighed, taking a few steps toward her. "Fine," he agreed, grunting only a little as she clambered onto his shoulders.

"Hang on!" She called, pushing the cover of a ceiling vent back before lifting herself easily up and in.

"Be careful, little spider," Quentin murmured, but she was already gone.

"I should be with Iris and Nora right now," Barry said, leaning over a counter and frowning at the ground. "I hope they're okay."

"Who's Nora, Allen?" Leonard asked, watching Barry. "Did you and Iris have a kid already?"

Barry laughed, a blush rising to his cheeks. "Someday we will," he hedged. "How about you, Snart? You've got a second chance at life. Think you'll have a family someday?"

"Can you  _really_  see me as a dad?" Leonard drawled. He had no idea where Barry would even get the thought.

"What good are dads anyway?" Mick wondered. "I killed mine."

"Same," Leonard agreed, narrowing his eyes at Barry.

"Everyone needs a dad," Caitlin said, helpfully. "I grew up without mine, and that was really hard."

"Does everyone here have daddy issues?" Ralph wondered.

"Just today," Quentin muttered.

"Technically, I grew up without my dad, too. But you were a great mentor to me, Leonard," Barry said, his expression earnest.

"Mentor," Leonard scoffed. "Was that all I was to you, Allen?"

Barry grinned at that. "I really did miss you."

Leonard sucked in a breath, thinking. "On that note," he started, "how is it that I've been dead for three years?"

"Well," Barry said, tilting his head, "you didn't actually die. We saved you right before the Oculus exploded. It's just been three years for  _us_  since that happened."

"So, you went back in time?" Leonard asked. "What took you so long?"

"We didn't think it was possible at the Vanishing Point," Mick said, leaning heavily back against the wall.

"And then we found out it was," Barry added quickly, smiling as he always did—but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"As always, Allen is minimizing the efforts of the others around him," Harry muttered. "Trust me, it was not that easy. If it hadn't been for me and Snow, you'd probably be—"

"Enough bragging, Harry," Caitlin inserted, rolling her eyes.

"It was actually boring, for some of us," Marty added.

"Now," said Ralph, his tone chiding, "that's not a good team spirit."

That earned him a withering look. "You're not my dad," the boy said.

Then, much to Leonard's confusion, Ralph deflated. "Really?" He whined.

Caitlin sighed. "I could've told you that."

"Anyway," Barry cut in, "you're very welcome, Snart. We're glad to have you back."

Leonard hummed. There was more to this story, obviously, but he decided to let it drop—for now. There was another pressing question he needed answered… "Sara and that other woman, they're on the Waverider?"

"That's right," Quentin said. "I'm sure they're safer than we are, don't worry."

"Considering our position, that's not very comforting," Leonard snarked. "Who's after us, anyway? Don't tell me we're still trying to kill Savage."

"A time-traveling tyrant, much worse than Vandal Savage," Quentin explained. "We'll beat him like we always do."

Leonard frowned. "And who are  _you_?"

"We're Legends, just like you," Quentin shrugged, casually, but Leonard didn't miss the way his eyes dropped to study the band on his wrist.

"How did you become Legends?" Leonard pressed.

"You could say they were born for it!" Ralph quipped. "Ow," he added, frowning down at Caitlin. "I know it's hard to keep your hands off me, but watch it, will ya?"

"Snow lashes out at stupidity," Harry said. "Can't say that I blame her."

"Okay!" Alexa dropped back into the room, breathless and a little rumpled. "It looks like they're gone. You can probably use the heat from your gun to melt the ice, right? Then we can get out of here."

"We're not going anywhere," Leonard said, glaring up at them, "until you tell me everything you're hiding."


End file.
